Innisfail Color Scheme

[Pat]

My first Irish, Heather, was a grand-daughter of Innisfail Color Scheme.  Recently during a discussion with other IS folks some one made the comment that he was one of the greatest carriers of PRA in the Irish Setter breed because he was used for stud so frequently. I had never heard this before and would like to know if anyone knows where I could find evidence of this. I am talking to fellow old timers out there to see if this was a valid claim or more BS. Heather had clear vision till the day she died, she could spot a squirrel a mile away. All help is appreciated! 

[Beckie Takacs]

Hi Pat,

You got lucky with Heather.  The info on Color Scheme was correct and was considered common knowledge back in the 70's, when PRA was decimating the breed.  We got our first IS (Lady Jo) when I was 10 in 1964 and our second, Corky, a year or so later.  Corky was the son of Legend of Varagon (Trophy) who was from the same litter as Flashback of Varagon, both very successful sons of Innisfail Color Scheme.  Lady Jo was bred to Flashback and produced only one puppy, Rory, and we kept him.  We lived in the San Fernando Valley of California and were very active in showing both Corky and Rory.  Rory died young from bloat, prior to completing his championship, but had already been bred at least once.  Sometime after his death, my folks bought 2 of his grandchildren and they both went blind from PRA.  They were loved and cared for until they died.  We were able to figure out that Rory was a carrier of the PRA gene.  My mom and dad are no longer here or I would probably be able to give you more details.   Anyways, PRA is a recessive gene and you need to get both (one PRA gene from each parent) in order to get PRA.  If both parents are carriers, a puppy has a 25% chance of not getting the genes at all, a 50% chance of being a carrier, and a 25% chance of getting PRA.  There are no symptoms if you are just a carrier.   Hoped this was a little helpful.

[Pat]

Wow! Thanks Beckie, I had never heard this. Maybe because it didn't hit our household we just never connected that information. Also I was taking college classes and was intent on that at the time. Heather and I roamed the hills of northern Virginia and Shanandoah Valley and she never had any troubles. She only had one litter in her life and I have no idea if she was a carrier, never heard from any of her puppies owners if there were problems. Man that was a LONG time ago. I loved her to pieces and miss her to this day. I will have both of my current dogs tested for that, heart and hips, before I allow a breeding. That is the convenience & benefit of our modern technology and the wonderful internet.

[Beckie Takacs]

Hi,

Same here - I was in college, but my folks were still active.  I miss the dogs, too.  When we lived in Woodland Hills, CA it was all hills and open space and very few houses.  (Now, you can't turn around it is so congested).   I remember taking the dogs to places they could run and they had an amazingly good time.   I don't have any dogs now, but things seem so much more hazardous.  Back then you didn't have to worry about heartworm, Lyme's, West Nile..  I would love to be able to own them again.

[Pat]

Yep Beckie, you are right. Mentioning heart worm, I had a vet in Massachusetts (I was 18 before we moved outside DC) that said he thought Heather had heart worms and would be dead in 6 months without all this "expensive treatment". My dad was military and this was not in the budget, I also felt distrust of the guy. Heather lived to be 12 1/2 and never had heartworm or any "expensive treatments". Now we just check the internet if something doesn't sound right to us.  

[wilko jansen]

i am doing a bloat hereditary in irish setters project. collecting pedigrees of bloaters. i can still use more to fill the gaps. you can mail me [e-mail] i had just read in my big file of bloat lecture, searching for cases, the story of mrs valerie gonsor written in 1963, i think. she had experienced 3 times in less than 2 years bloat. she mentions her 3,5 year old male and his brother, not owned but showed. then i started looking in pedigrees, trying to find the names and found enchantmet and flashback of varagon candidates. and now i see here rory mentioned.. could you mail me his pedigree. thanks for your help.

 

 

[wilko jansen]

i now see his picture and name. varagon proud victor. now looking for his pedigree, dob

 

[Pat]

Hello Wilko, you need to contact Beckie Tackacs, my dog never had bloat, though she did have a touch of arthritis in her last couple of years. Good luck on your project.

[wilko jansen]

she will read this i think

she is online now i see

[Beckie Takacs]

Hi,

Yes, Rory died when I think he was 7 of bloat.  His mother, Lady Jo also died of bloat at 12.  Corky, Trophy's son, did not die of bloat.   My mom was able to figure out how to prevent a lot of it, but not everytime.  I'm sure Val Gonser's dog must have had bloat problems too.  Rory's mother's name was Lady Joann of Rust-Hu.  Good luck.

[Beckie Takacs]

Trophy is from the same litter as Flashback.